West Nile Virus

Two more deaths reported in Colorado Wednesday from West Nile virus have raised the state's death toll for this year to 35.

State health officials say the deaths added to the count were an 84-year-old man from Adams County who died Monday after suffering from encephalitis and a 53-year-old man from Boulder County, who also suffered with encephalitis and died Monday.

These are the third deaths from the West Nile virus for both Adams and Boulder counties.

Officials say the deaths are among about 1,660 human cases of West Nile reported in Colorado for 2003.

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West Nile virus Facts

The West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) in humans and other animals.

The virus is named after the West Nile region of Uganda where it was first isolated in1937.

The virus appeared for the first time in the United States during a 1999 outbreak in New York that killed seven people.

How is the West Nile virus Spread?

The virus is spread to humans, birds and other animals through the bite of an infected mosquito.

A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird that is carrying the virus.

West Nile virus is not spread from person to person, and no evidence indicates the virus can be spread directly from birds to humans.

Only a small population of mosquitoes are likely to be infected and most people bitten by an infected mosquito do not become sick.

1 in 300 people bitten by an infected mosquito get sick.

1 in 100-150 who get sick become seriously ill.

3 to 15 percent of those seriously ill die.

Symptoms of the Virus

The symptoms generally appear about 3 to 6 days after exposure. People over the age of 50 are at a greater risk of severe illness.

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